BCCI probe against Modi may defer till April 5

Mumbai: The BCCI asked the Bombay High Court on Tuesday that it would "request" its disciplinary committee to postpone its enquiry initiated against Lalit Modi, former IPL chairman, till April 5.

A division bench of justices Ranjana Desai and R G Ketkar was hearing an appeal filed by Modi challenging an earlier order directing the cricket board to initiate the enquiry proceedings.

The bench after reserving its order till April 5 asked the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to consider deferring the Disciplinary Committee (DC) proceedings against Modi till the appeal is decided.

BCCI counsel Rafiq Dada told the High Court that he would send a request letter to the committee, which is expected to start proceedings this evening in Delhi, to consider deferring the enquiry till April 5.

Justice S J Kathawala had on March 4 dismissed Modi's application challenging the existence of the disciplinary panel, formed last year to look into charges of financial improprieties against Modi during his tenure as the IPL chairman.

Pulling up Modi for trying to delay the proceedings, the HC had also lifted its interim stay on the proceedings of the committee and also directed the BCCI to go ahead with the enquiry.

Modi had challenged the very existence of the panel, saying its term expired on September 29 last year and it was not reconstituted.